Hosts: Adam Rack and Joel Gunderson

Recorded Live at talkcastPDX Studios, Portland, Oregon

Coopers Hall: https://www.coopershall.com/

Phil Kramer is the winemaker for Coopers Hall and owns a vineyard in Silverton/Molalla called Alexeli Vineyard, which is the driving force behind the Coopers Hall wines. In this episode, Joel, Adam and Phil discuss farming practices, philosophies and the internal struggles about right and wrong that Phil faces while farming - right down to considering the notion of whether sustainable viticulture is even viable. 

Alexeli Vineyard: https://www.alexeli.com/

Winesplained: Honest talk about sustainable wine.  Hosted by Joel Gunderson and Adam Rack. Recorded Live at Coopers Hall Winery & Tap Room in Portland, Oregon.

Joel and Adam lay the groundwork for Winesplained - exploring sustainability in the wine industry through the lens of Coopers Hall, an urban winery located in Portland, Oregon. Coopers Hall opened in 2014 as Oregon’s first keg-focused winery and continues to take a holistic approach to creating an ethical wine brand - from the farming practices and production, right to the packaging. There’s no lack of topics to explore in future episodes!

Coopers Hall: https://www.coopershall.com/

Winesplained: Honest talk about sustainable wine.  Hosted by Joel Gunderson and Adam Rack. Recorded Live at Coopers Hall Winery & Tap Room in Portland, Oregon.

John Paul of Cameron Winery has been pushing boundaries in winemaking in Oregon’s Willamette Valley since 1984. He relocated from the Napa Valley during its heyday and was led by “the original iconoclast” David Lett (Eyrie Vineyards) to a newly burgeoning wine region. Joel, Adam and John Paul discuss the early days of the Willamette Valley and how iconoclasm is still alive and well in 2022 as wineries navigate questions of sustainability, telling their stories and marketing their brands.

Cameron Winery: https://www.cameronwines.com/

Winesplained: Honest talk about sustainable wine.  Hosted by Joel Gunderson and Adam Rack. Recorded Live at Coopers Hall Winery & Tap Room in Portland, Oregon.

The wine industry does exclusivity well. When it comes to diversity, equity, culture, knowledge, pricing - it’s not an easy industry to break into or be successful in for many workers and consumers alike. 

Erica Landon of Walter Scott Winery, a passionate sommelier and wine educator turned winery owner, has a lot to share when it comes to managing high-end wine lists, now navigating her own business and how the industry continues to be challenging in many ways. 

Walter Scott: https://www.walterscottwines.com

Winesplained: Honest talk about sustainable wine.  Hosted by Joel Gunderson and Adam Rack. Recorded Live at Coopers Hall Winery & Tap Room in Portland, Oregon.

Jess Pierce has worn many hats around Portland and in the Willamette Valley food and wine industry: from serving tables and teaching Wine Geography at Linfield College to selling wine for Walter Scott and now making her very own Pierce Riesling.

When Jess started Pierce Wines she was inspired by Coopers Hall to use an Oregon-made 500 mL reusable, refillable bottles. She was attracted by the sustainability factor and the atypical format. Joel, Adam and Jess chat about putting wine in beer bottles, energy and waste in wine and evangelizing the use of more sustainable packaging options. 

Want to learn more about refillable, reusable bottles in Oregon? Visit the Coopers Hall website: http://www.coopershall.com/winery

Winesplained: Honest talk about sustainable wine.  Hosted by Joel Gunderson and Adam Rack. Recorded Live at Coopers Hall Winery & Tap Room in Portland, Oregon.

Cristina Gonzales has a full plate as the owner and winemaker of her own Gonzales Wine Company, a board member for AHIVOY*, the Oregon Wine Board and the Women Owned Wineries Directory. Cristina shares her story with Joel and Adam, from finding her way into the winemaking industry in California, to bootstrapping and growing her business in Oregon. They discuss barriers to entry in winemaking, being a minority, woman-owned business and how

“sustainability” in wine also includes access. 

Gonzales Wine Compnay: https://gonzaleswineco.com/

*AHIVOY is an Oregon non-profit that provides education and professional development opportunities and empowers Latinx and Hispanic vineyard workers of the Willamette Valley to overcome socio economic challenges.

https://ahivoyoregon.org/

Women Owned Wineries Directory: https://womanowned.wine/

Winesplained: Honest talk about sustainable wine.  Hosted by Joel Gunderson and Adam Rack. Recorded Live at Coopers Hall Winery & Tap Room in Portland, Oregon.